Govt announces ceasefire against TTP; Nisar says govt and military reserve the right to retaliate any terrorist activity

ISLAMABAD: In response to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ceasefire announcement, government has also announced ceasefire against Taliban. The targeted actions in North Waziristan Agency and other tribal areas have been stopped. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif had also consulted the matter of ceasefire with Taliban. The announcement has been made by the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan after the consultation of political and military leadership. According to the announcement the targeted actions against the Taliban would immediately be stopped. The interior minister in a statement said that the government and military reserve the right to retaliate any terrorist activity.

He said so far no formal military operation has been conducted against Taliban. He said that the targeted operations so far conducted were the retaliation of the terrorist activities.

Chaudhry Nisar said that the government considers the ceasefire announcement by TTP as positive development. He said the current government after assuming responsibilities from last June has not conducted any military operation and no excessive action has been taken by the government during this period. He said any action taken by the government during this period was aimed at stopping the terrorist activities and in retaliation of the terrorist acts. He said after the TTP announcement of Saturday the government has decided to halt the air strikes continued from the past several days. He said that the government and military reserve the right of retaliation to any terrorist activity.

Meanwhile Coordinator of the Arbitration Committee Maulana Syed Yousuf Shah while commenting on the ceasefire decision of government has said that there is great responsibility on the negotiation committees after the ceasefire announcement of government, adding that the committees would have to move forward carefully to move forward the dialogue process.

Meanwhile member of the government negotiation committee Rustam Shah Mohmand said that the ceasefire was necessary for moving forward in dialogue process, adding that the extension in ceasefire is also needed. He said that the 30 days time is not enough. He said instead of ceasefire some terrorist attacks could be carried out by the opponents of the Taliban to sabotage the peace talks. He said that the government would reserve the right to retaliate the terrorist activities. He said now we have to talk on the contentious issues, adding that the ceasefire is basic issue. He said that the time should not be wasted in petty matters. Rustam Mohamd said that the government and TTP would be bound to observe ceasefire.

Meanwhile arbitration committee member Professor Muhammad Ibrahim Khan while talking to a private TV channel hailed the decision of the government ceasefire, adding that this announcement would help restoring peace in country. He said that the Taliban had pledged to take on board all groups into confidence regarding the dialogue process, adding if any group would violate the ceasefire agreement then the Taliban itself would take action against that group.